Master Classes

Velcrow Ripper

Sound has the ability to evoke a deep resonance, emotions and memory, similar to the effect scent can have. It can be both subtle, or a sledgehammer. Used with artistry, it can transform a film. One of the distinctive aspects of Ripper’s films (Fierce Light, ScaredSacred) is his exquisite and multi-layered sound design. Many documentarians neglect sound, but for Ripper, sound is as important as the visual element of a film. In addition to sound designing his own films, Ripper has created the soundscapes for such seminal documentaries as The Corporation by Mark Achbar, and A Place Called Chiapas by Nettie Wild.

Saturday 11 July • 9am – 12 midday

Yoav Shamir

How do you gain access to subjects when dealing with sensitive issues? Sometimes

you are an insider, sometimes an outsider, but without access it’s difficult to achieve

what you set out to do. Access and trust, not budget, are the key elements of documentary filmmaking and will produce remarkable results. Shamir is an award-winning filmmaker who has made numerous films where he has gained the unique trust of, and access to, his subjects. His films often deal with sensitive political issues, but through building trust with his subjects he has managed to take us into a world we normally would not see.

The National Film and Video Foundation, Cape Film Commission, Jan Vrijman Fund/IDFA, Pro Helvetia and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Vivien Cohen and the Human Elephant Foundation, the Africa Centre, French Embassy, British Council, High Commission of Canada, Business & Arts South Africa, Tempest Car Hire, Goodman Gallery, The Times, Exclusive Books, Nu Metro and Cape Town TV.

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